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  1. Tom Dick and Harry Jul 21, 2017

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    Morning all

    Well its been quite some time since I took a leap of faith and bought myself a new watch. Things have been quite tight financially and there has been a lot going on both at work and at home, as well as helping a friend get his watch business off the ground.

    Anyway, I am always hawking ebay and a few weeks ago a watch I have fancied for some time came up for sale for buttons, it 'needed a new battery' (purists please don't switch off here just because I said battery)

    It arrived in the post and to my surprise came with box, papers, Omega service documentation from 2009, I opened the box and was delighted to see a very good 9/10 watch staring back at me. I eagerly replaced the battery but no joy................

    My usual watch maker was away so I sent it down to Simon Freese to see if he could work his magic.... It was my 40th Birthday on Wednesday and in the evening got a call from Simon to say that he had sorted the watch (it was a corrector issue), replaced the seals, sorted the bezel clicker out and sorted the locking crown out (which is a really interesting mechanism) and it would be back in the post to me this week (what a star).

    So here is the watch, its a 1982 (ish) bi metal SS/18K (which I love) omega Jaques Mayol Seamster 120M, I have long loved these watches, I bought one some time back but it was knackered and beyond salvation but thankfully this one isn't, its a peach.

    IMG_6811.JPG

    The watch for me was the last proper Omega diver before the dark days of the mid 1980's took full hold and Omega very nearly went bust. It is running the last of their 'proper' in house quartz movement (calibre 1337), the case and bracelet are really well made and great quality (yes of course it could have a screw back and screw pin bracelet) but this is easily counteracted by the quality of the bracelet, the case and the sapphire crystal bezel.

    Appreciate these aren't everyones cup of tea but I just think it is an amazing watch and all of this for less than it would cost to buy an original hour and minute hand set for an ed white.

    Thought I would share

    Thanks Tom
     
  2. jimmyd13 Jul 21, 2017

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    No, it's not ... but that doesn't change the fact that it's a great example of the watches of that era. As someone who owns more than his fair share of watches that other people are totally confused by, you enjoy that thing! (By the way, I like it).
     
  3. Tom Dick and Harry Jul 21, 2017

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    Thanks

    Yes I must admit when I first got in to collecting 15 years ago I idolised the 'usual suspects' chasing speedies and SM300's etc and I cast a dismissive eye over these watches.

    It is still a very marmite piece but I look at it in terms of it being a very enjoyable, attractive well made watch with a very good quality in house Omega movement, which I can take anywhere and goes equally well with a suit as it does shorts and a T shirt and all for less than a knackered old pair of hands.

    I think what I enjoy the most about it is the BI metal and the case/ BCT design but also the fact that although its slim in terms of thickness it actually wears relatively large for other watches of that era
     
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  4. Ken G Jul 21, 2017

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    Another fan here :) Congratulations - that's a terrific example!

    I'd been after one for a while too, and eventually picked this SS one up a few months back - it has the all-too-common cracked bezel, but otherwise, isn't too bad:

    IMG_1438.JPG IMG_2316.JPG

    I think as recently as last year the bezels were still available, but I'm not sure what the latest status is on parts. I guess I should get round to finding out sooner rather than later...

    Anyway, congrats again - result!
     
  5. jimmyd13 Jul 21, 2017

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    The other thing is that we all grow up wanting the things that we saw while growing up. I can't tell you how many times I've seen items or sale that instantly took me back to some point in my childhood and my first thought was "I want that". The last time I had that feeling was last Saturday, looking at a Tonka Jeep ... the same one that broke my nose when I was 4. I still wanted it.

    It's not an Omega, but here's my 80's bi-metal watch that I really, really needed to own (and that everyone else will furrow their brows at):

    5QgCwaA.jpg
     
  6. ChrisN Jul 21, 2017

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    Why not Tom, it's a nice watch and different to what we usually see. :thumbsup: There are loads of Omega watches out there that are a bit different and we seem to get tied up with all the usual suspects. I doubt my claw Constellation from '97 with a cal 1120 is on many people's watch list but having bought it new, it certainly appealed to me. OK, I also bought a Speedmaster at the same time...

    Just got this finished - I like different looks as well;)

    Cheers, Chris
     
  7. Mouse_at_Large still immune to Speedmaster attraction Jul 21, 2017

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    Very nice watch :thumbsup:

    I must admit an interest in some of the "forgotten" Omegas from around this time. Models like the Recife
    mdprecife.jpg
    Calypso
    Calypso1.jpg
    and Nimitz
    Nimitz.jpg
    deserve more love :cool:
     
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  8. Ken G Jul 21, 2017

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    Yeah, big fan of the Recife! Would love to get one on my wrist some day...

    (If I'm not mistaken, TD also has a very nice example of that particular model...)
     
  9. Tom Dick and Harry Jul 21, 2017

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    Indeed I do, I like the recief and it even has a screw in crown but in terms of build quality and durability it leaves a lot to be desired! By this time they had also transferred over to the 1430/1431 which was in its own right a capable movement but (IMHO) not a patch on the in-house 1332/7 series. Cool watch though and climbing steadily in value now

    IMG_6368.JPG
     
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  10. Nathan1967 Jul 21, 2017

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    Whilst we all love our Speedies and SMs, I think that a lot of us are probably thinking that this passion of ours is starting to get prohibitively expensive particularly if we stay with what we know and love. With that in mind many of us are looking at new opportunities - i think Quartz is a great avenue to start to explore, the best, most beautiful and rarest will I think become valuable (the signs are there already I think). Last week I bought this - not everyone will like it but I really love it! I think it's beautiful and is most definitely rare.
    IMG_5336.JPG

    I do love the Omega Quartz Divers - have been very tempted recently but I guess I'm getting beaten to the punch by Tom!

    All the best

    Nathan
     
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  11. Ken G Jul 21, 2017

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    ^^^^
    That looks terrific! :thumbsup: Well played!
     
  12. Tom Dick and Harry Jul 21, 2017

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    Thanks chaps, time keeping is pretty good on it too

    IMG_6817.JPG
     
  13. Jones in LA Isofrane hoarder. Jul 21, 2017

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    It's a fabulous piece @Tom Dick , thanks for sharing it with the rest of us. And Happy Birthday!
     
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  14. Vitezi Jul 21, 2017

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    For us Yanks you'll need to translate. :p I've never tasted Marmite but I am guessing that it isn't
     
  15. palatine Jul 21, 2017

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    Tom
    lovely watch... but tell this poor idiot what the clock underneath is?...
     
  16. Tom Dick and Harry Jul 21, 2017

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    The clock is a calibre 1525 marine chronometer ships clock, delivered to the french navy in 1982 and in service until 2006!
     
  17. palatine Jul 21, 2017

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    that sounds awesome.
    any pics? thread?
     
  18. Tom Dick and Harry Jul 21, 2017

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    Sadly she's not mine, just caretaking before she goes to STS for a service. The 1525 was the ships version of the marine chronometer watch but running a 4.19mhz crystal not the 2.4mhz the watch version used, as such it was accurate to 6 seconds a year not the 12 seconds of the wrist watch!

    Amazing piece of kit but sadly didn't really see that much service as it was soon surpassed by technology like gps

    They were made specifically for the french navy but also sold to the civilian market too!
     
  19. palatine Jul 21, 2017

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    FFS... another Omega for me to obsess about...
    thanks for the info
     
  20. Nathan1967 Jul 21, 2017

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    You
    You're spot on - I think your cat might have eaten a jar or two!
     
    Edited Jul 21, 2017
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